Steel and Mana

Chapter 76 – Open Trial

It was three days after the collapse of the temple, and the night turned out to be way darker than usual. Dark clouds were gathering above Avalon, hiding the moon and the stars, providing the perfect chance for Luka to finally sneak out from his home and head towards Sorbo's house.

Sneaking through the streets and alleys, he tried to make as little noise as possible, waiting in the shadows, watching for patrols or anyone that may be out, taking him thrice the time to arrive than usual. He knew his childhood friend was up when he arrived because the light of candles was coming from behind his shutters.

"What are you doing here?!" Sorbo groaned, trying to hold back his shout, his words escaping through gritted teeth. The moment he heard the knocks, his heart almost stopped, creeping to the door very slowly. When he realized who was there, he pulled Luka in with two hands and slammed the door behind him.

"I had to come! Were you questioned?! What did you tell them?!"

"I wasn't!" Sorbo snapped, watching his pale-faced friend. "What did YOU tell them?!"

"What we agreed upon! Good... if you weren't questioned, then that has to mean we are in a safe spot..."

"I... wouldn't phrase it like that." Came a low chuckle, and before the two could react, they saw a woman standing at the door, wearing a black, skin-tight suit, her face hiding behind a bland, featureless ebony mask, only showing her eyes.

"Who-?!" The two men shouted, turning towards her, but after seeing the dagger she was playing with, they stopped themselves from attacking.

"You have two options," She continued, running one hand seductively over her body, making them realize the figure was missing one of her breasts as the suit was sticking to her in a weird way. "Either you come with us quietly, or we bring you to the Sovereign by force. Don't worry, even if you chose the second option, you will remain alive... it will be a painful existence, but you will live... yet wish you weren't."

It was enough to persuade the two as neither of them were in a state to fight. The moment Yuri stepped away from the door, multiple other, similarly dressed females strode in, taking them into custody and escorting the group toward the palace in complete silence. As to what awaited them, they didn't know, but they still had hope as they were not yet killed on the spot...

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"We got all of them, and we took their confessions." Merlin began, reporting to me in the throne room just after breakfast. "This time, they were vastly different, all of them trying to point a finger towards the others but mainly at Sorbo."

"We know he was the head of their little operation. What about the new names?" I asked, shaking my head and making Oleg step forward.

"We have them all in custody, My Lord. In total, we captured 9 men."

"Make sure no torture is being used while they are in custody." I iterated it again, telling Oleg this multiple times in the past few days.

"I am making sure the others are also following it, My Lord, don't worry!" He saluted, probably feeling like I was nagging him. Well, I was, as I was unsure if, at any other time, they would even get any trial instead of being hanged or beheaded at once.

"Good... How's the announcement?" I turned towards Merlin, who looked at his little notebook, flipping a few pages.

"I made sure that it was being spread through the city, and Minister Rennar is already building the podiums in the city square. In two days, we are ready to hold the open hearing and trial."

"We will be out in full force, My Lord." My General assured me, "It is easily possible this would turn into a lynching event, but we will make sure we keep the people at bay."

"Good. Keep a lookout for instigators and remove them from the crowd. Try to be gentle; this will be heated, but we must remain civilized. I will announce their punishment before everyone. It is my job to sentence them, not theirs; I want them to understand this."

After finishing the meeting with them and sending them on their way, I still had a private talk to conduct with Mikan. When I walked into my study, she was already there with Sasha and Luna accompanying her.

"You look horrible." I started, forcing her to smile a little, but I wasn't lying. She looked like someone who barely slept a wink, but at least not as bad when she learned about Mikki-2.

"It is hard to sleep; I can still hear the rumble." She answered, raising her teacup while I sat beside my wives. "Will you punish them? With death?"

"Yes."

"I see. I am sorry..." She whispered, lowering her golden eyes onto her tea.

"Not your fault. I wasn't clear enough with it, so some of the blame falls on my shoulders."

"Too many innocent lives have been lost... I feel guilty for it. If it wasn't for me-"

"Then something else would have happened!" I interrupted her before she could go on, "Tensions are bound to happen. We are in an era of change, and not a small one at that. If everything would go smoothly, I would suspect this is not real at all. For now, your job will be to somehow try and give solace to those families that were affected by it. Think of them and think of what you can do for them."

"..." It seemed that my words ignited something within Mikan because when she looked back up into my eyes, she didn't look so distraught anymore.

"The temple will be built, and I think it would be a nice first sermon if you were to honor those who died."

"I thought of the same." She nodded, forming another smile, "I just hope the families will accept my offering and not blame me for it. Even if they do, I will accept their words and-"

"Only accept their words, Mikan!" Sasha interrupted her, standing up and sitting down next to her, patting her hands. "We can't control what people say, but they will be punished if they do something to you! That is unacceptable!"

"Yeah," Luna agreed, munching on a cookie, "spanking only feels good in bed!"

"..."

"What?" She asked as we all looked at her, suddenly turning bright red, "Wait... I... I said it out loud?"

"Someone will be spanked tonight~!" I grinned, reaching out and pinching her face, making my wife moan while Mikan turned redder than ever, hearing Sasha shrug next to her.

"Ignore them... When things calm down, we should go out, Mikki, and revisit the bakery."

"Um... I would love that! I would... really love that now..."

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When the trial's day arrived, I was surprised at how many people were trying to come and watch it. Probably, the whole city was here, filling up the square, all the connected streets and alleys, hanging from the surrounding buildings' windows, and even sitting on the roofs. It was the first time I could really take a look at the sea of people who were now my subjects, filling me with a kind of happiness and pride.

I walked out at noon, accompanied by Sasha and Luna, while Yuri played the role of my personal guard, including her private forces. Behind us arrived the Ministers and, lastly, another group of soldiers led by Oleg, securing our platform and surrounding it. It was elevated to around a 3-meter height, overlooking the square where a different podium was built up, and the nine culprits were displayed on it, hands tied behind their backs, standing in a line, each of them guarded by one soldier.

They were already on display for the past hour, letting the crowd shout, boo at them, and blame them for everything that happened. If not for my soldiers, some may have already collapsed, only held up by a pair of strong hands. Looking at those bulging biceps, I was sure that my experiment was proving my point. These new recruits, freshly out from training, were not as bulky as my Father or his direct soldiers but were on their way to becoming like them. Beast meat does have its effects!

After my wives sat down, I remained standing, raising my arms high, and as if casting a spell, the crowd began calming down, words passing backward, silencing the square surprisingly quickly.

"My people!" I started, speaking as loudly as possible, without truly shouting. I was a bit bummed out that we didn't have microphones and loudspeakers, but something just can't be helped. Yet. "We are gathered here today because what happened in our beautiful city is affecting all of us!"

"Yes!" Shouted someone, who was followed by multiple similar cries and claps, making me wait and try to calm them down by raising my hands.

"Prime Minister Merlin has already published the full story on the multiple news posts around the city that we had set up, and I hope you all read it! If nothing else, those who did can tell their neighbors the whole, true story of what had happened!"

This was, of course, followed by another round of shoutings, outcries, and calling the men on the podium, all kinds of animals under the sun. This time, I did let them do it for a little, watching the nine cry, fall into shock, ignore what was happening around them, or falter on the edge of fainting.

"For those," I continued after relative silence returned, "who may not have heard it, I will now read you the accusations and the confessions of these criminals!"

By simply stretching my hand out, Merlin was prepared and pressed the pre-written speech into my hands that I only had to read. Still, it took me almost half an hour to finish it and another half an hour for the crowd to process it and retell it to those who were way further back. There was a point where I should have let Sorbo and his gang speak up, but looking at their state, there was no chance they could muster a sentence at all. Who I truly pitied were some of their families. They were never going to be able to live an everyday life.

Not in this city, that is for sure. I already talked with my ministers about it, and we decided to relocate them to one of the villages, assigning them jobs in keeping animals and working the limited farms we have. There, they would not be known and could at least live their lives without being prosecuted by everyone around them. Of course, I told the saboteurs this; I wasn't going to keep them guessing. Their punishment wouldn't be pressed onto their families. This was the most I could offer them, so they would die knowing their family was at least spared.

"Now, the verdict!" I continued, silencing the crowd, and I think I could have heard if someone dropped a pin in that sudden silence. "Examining the evidence, their confessions, it is without question that they intentionally caused the collapse of the temple that was commissioned by ME! Not the church, but by ME! Faith and the belief in the Six Gods is everyone's right, which I won't take from them. That does not mean the church has a hand in it!"

"Sovereign Leon!" Someone shouted, which was soon repeated by multiple others, making me start waving again to calm the crowd. I was beginning to feel like some kind of fitness guru on TV.

"Buildings can be rebuilt... but lost lives can't be recovered! Your actions cost us not just good men and future master builders but sons and fathers! Good husbands! This crime warrants the highest punishment, and you will go down as the first group of people to be sentenced to... The Walk!"

"..."

This time, there was no shouting but more of a cacophony of confused murmur, which I was expecting. I even saw Sorbo at the rest looking up towards me, which they had not done until now.

"You will be equipped," I continued without flinching, "with armor, weapons, and basic supplies, and you will be brought to the valley, leading into the land of the beasts!"

I think one of them got it. Recalling his name, it was the one called Tomak. He was the first who fainted, and he only remained standing because my soldier behind him grabbed him by the neck, keeping him standing.

"Your punishment is to head into the other side of the mountains and record everything you saw. After a year, you can return, presenting your findings and a drawn map. If you do so, your sins will be forgiven, your past abolished, and you will be allowed to start anew!"

I knew that it was a shocking verdict, and many didn't understand it, so I decided to address my people to close out the first open trial in my Avalon.

"We are all humans. We make bad choices and mistakes; it is in our nature. Even if our deeds are deplorable like these nine, redemption can't be denied by anyone who is part of Avalon! I am going to place their fate into the hands of the Six Gods. If they are truly sorry and are forgiven by them, they will survive the year and return from the land of the demons, cleansed and reborn! If not... then they have found their place in hell."

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